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Armed robbers raid Obiele branch of Hallmark Bank

Hallmark Bank Plc has once again suffered great loss in the hands of dare devil armed robbers who seem to have declared war.

Hallmark Bank Plc has once again suffered great loss in the hands of dare devil armed robbers who seem to have declared war.

The robbers who posed as welders visited its Obiele branch, in Ukwa West LGA of Abia State last week carting away millions of naira from the strong room.

Eyewitnesses accounts narrated to this publication how the robbers numbering about eight stormed the bank premises along Okeikpe road at about midnight, opening fire as they approached the bank's entrance, announcing at the same time that they had come to rob the bank and had no intention of harming anybody, soliciting for the co-operation.

The source said further that the gun battle, which lasted for five hours non-stop scared away the guards on duty.

When the thieves eventually gained access into the bank, it was a Herculean task to break into the iron gate safe.

Determined to accomplish their mission, some of the robbers were said to have gone in search of wielding machine in the town to break the safe under the covering fire of their colleagues.

Our sources added that when they could not to succeed in getting one because of the odd hours, the robbers proceeded to Alaohi mechanic village at Aba, a ten-killometre distance along the Port Harcourt-Enugu expressway in search of a wielding machine. They had reasoned that most of the apprentices sleep in the shop.

Having succeeded, they hurriedly ran back to the bank without resistance and successfully broke into the safe and carted away unspecified amounts of money.

We learnt that before the commencement of the operation, the gunmen had planted their men at strategic places, blocking all entrances into the town.

The only reported casualty according to the source was an aged hypertensive woman who collapsed and died as a result of the intensive gun shots which kept on for the duration of the robbery.

Police investigations are still going on. Some arrested suspects from the bank are being interrogated. The police are said to be weighing all options because the focus on the bank became intensive since the bank's chairman declared his interest in seeking political position, forcing many to suggest it could be politically motivated